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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime)
Hzmonte, I get the episode pictures from the NHK Atsuhime website, but I'm not sure if they have full resolution photos available there.
On Atsu's funeral, I also found it fascinating when the travelogue at the end of Saturday's episode mentioned that 10,000 people attended her funeral. I'm sure most of the people were from Satsuma and the Ooku. I was reading somewhere that immediately after the collapse of the Tokugawa family and the restoration of power to Emperor Meiji (in 1868), Tenshoin started to become quite well-known in Edo/Tokyo. I don't think people actually had a chance to meet her, but I'm sure people knew of her achievements. Maybe a lot of the common people living in Tokyo at the time of her death also attended. Ironically enough, I was reading in an article the other day that following the end of Atsuhime, the temple in Tokyo where her grave (as well as Iesada's) opened their doors and allowed many people to visit the grave site, which had previously been closed to the public.
Peg, you're welcome!  Yeah, I always enjoy looking at the picture of Atsu's palanquin. It makes her story that we've enjoyed for the last year seem so much more real and fascinating.
No problem, NChan! Yeah, I was very surprised when I read the information about Lady Seikanin refusing to meet with Yoshinobu. Apparently, she refused to see him even after Tenshoin saved his life. I'm not too sure if Lady Honjuin hated Yoshinobu as much as she did in the drama though, LOL!
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1/26/2009, 3:28 pm
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hzmonte
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Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime)
class blockquote Hiroshi66 wrote:
... (in 1868), Tenshoin started to become quite well-known in Edo/Tokyo. I don't think people actually had a chance to meet her, but I'm sure people knew of her achievements. Well, I feel that the Taiga dramas often exaggerate the achievements of the main character in a particular series. In this drama she certainly almost single-handedly saved the Tokugawa family. There was a Taiga drama a few years ago about the last Shogun and it assigned a lot of credits to him. And different dramas depict the same person differently. One may find the same person was depicted as a stupid guy one year, but as a smart guy in another year (i.e. another drama). I do not know how Atsu was viewed in real history, and whether she really did what this drama said she did. Anyone has any idea?
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1/26/2009, 8:39 pm
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime)
Hzmonte, you have a good point. Certain characters may be portrayed positively in one drama, yet they may be portrayed in a much more negative manner in another production. I think that as times change, the way certain historical figures are viewed may also change. For instance, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. After reading portions of that biography I mentioned above (The Last Shogun), I found it very interesting that around the time we're seeing in this drama (late 1860s-early 1870s), Yoshinobu was viewed as a tyrant and symbol of the old government. When he passed away years later, Yoshinobu was seen as a nostalgic figure of "old Edo". Many of the people who were alive during the turbulent Meiji Restoration had already passed away, so many younger people living in Tokyo at that time saw Yoshinobu as a living memory of their not so distant yet long gone past.
As for Atsu, I'm still trying to learn more about her real life and achievements. Maybe some elements have been exaggerated, but I'm hoping that for the most part, what we're seeing is mostly true. The whole history of it is really fascinating, and I hope to learn more about Atsu's life, too.
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1/26/2009, 9:04 pm
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EvaLSeraphim
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J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime)
Hello - Long time lurker, first time poster. We started watching this drama when my husband and I took a Japanese language class at the community college.
I started watching this taiga around episode 7, and absolutely fell in love with it. I've never seen (or even knew of) taiga dramas and this was fabulous with the sumptuous costumes and incredible sets. I found this board soon after we started watching the show, and it has been a great resource. Thank you all for your summaries, links, and insights. I am so sad it's almost over.
I half wonder if so many of us enjoyed this drama because it was a woman-centric story. It seems that so much of Japanese history involves men, that it was nice to see the recognition of a woman, even if she was not in public and "behind the throne," so to speak. That's not to say that the next drama won't be as interesting, but more typical of the Japanese movies I have seen.
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1/31/2009, 10:30 am
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime)
EvaLSeraphim, welcome to the board! Glad that you decided to post and join us in our discussion of this excellent drama!
Yeah, I agree with you -- I think what's been so appealing about this drama is that the story is so different from the other taiga dramas we've seen over the years. Most of them deal with men during the "Warring States" period between 1400 to 1600, and concentrate on various political leaders like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. I was so happy when I found out this drama dealt with a woman living in the late 1800s who rose from being a carefree child in the quiet city of Satsuma to becoming the Senior Ladyship of the Edo Ooku -- and, as we saw, saving the country from civil war. It's been an excellent journey, and I'm getting even more sad thinking that it is going to end tonight. 
I'm also happy to hear you took a Japanese language class at a community college. I'm also taking Japanese courses at the community college I attend, and it's been such an excellent experience. The only problem is that the polite and sometimes archaic language they speak in these taiga dramas is very different from what is taught in class, LOL!
Last edited by Hiroshi66, 1/31/2009, 2:03 pm
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1/31/2009, 2:02 pm
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nchristi
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Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime)
Welcome, EvaLSeraphim! We're glad you joined us and hope you will continue to share your thoughts on the next taiga (and maybe some of our other Japanese shows, as well?).
Personally, a large part of my enjoyment of Atsuhime was that it featured a woman's life. But that could not stand alone and keep my interest. We previously saw Toshiie and Matsu, co-featuring a woman's life, but I found it quite boring. Atsuhime, on the other hand, was brilliantly written, cast, and directed—not to mention the beauty we saw in costuming, locations, and so forth. It was simply a superb production in every way.
Another aspect that appealed to me was the great detail it revealed to us about daily life in that time period. All the little things that lead to a complete picture and understanding of something—it could be anything. For example, seeing the daily routine in how a princess in the Ooku had to be awakened, how her hair was combed before she arose (or even turned over!), how she was fed (only one bite from a fish, then another fish offered for her second bite), how she had to practice using chopsticks to be able to pick up beans floating in water without getting the chopsticks wet, and so forth.
I must say, though, that if the same detail were given about historical men in these taigas, I would find it equally as interesting. I'd love to see the details of their daily lives, their armor, how they took care of their horses, the detail in outfitting those horses, etc.
While history is interesting, I have tired of watching military strategy, political plotting, killing, winning/losing which battle, etc. Because of this, Atsuhime was a tremendously refreshing change of pace not only because of the focus change but also because it was a winner in all the production aspects, as well.
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1/31/2009, 2:14 pm
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime)
class blockquote nchristi wrote:
Another aspect that appealed to me was the great detail it revealed to us about daily life in that time period. All the little things that lead to a complete picture and understanding of something—it could be anything. For example, seeing the daily routine in how a princess in the Ooku had to be awakened, how her hair was combed before she arose (or even turned over!), how she was fed (only one bite from a fish, then another fish offered for her second bite), how she had to practice using chopsticks to be able to pick up beans floating in water without getting the chopsticks wet, and so forth. Nchristi, I think that was one of my favorite aspects of Atsuhime, too. Earlier today I was re-watching the early episodes where Atsu was first receiving etiquette lessons from Ikushima back in Satsuma. I think those episodes are some of my favorites from the entire taiga. I really find fascinating all the details present in the etiquette. Ikushima was even teaching Atsu exactly how her hands were to be placed during a bow. And then we had so many more scenes giving us a glimpse of how life was in the Edo Castle Ooku -- not only for Atsu, for also for the many other women who lived behind its walls. It's been a wonderful and very informative journey.
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1/31/2009, 7:00 pm
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime)
Final Episode (Part 2) - A Single Path
After a year, Atsuhime has finally drawn to a close. What a great final episode, with all of the loose ends tied up. This episode seemed to cover a period of 13 years – from 1870 to 1883. Japan sure changed a lot during those 13 years! And Tenshoin was able to witness parts of this great change.
This episode was one of farewell and reunions. First, we have the nice reunion between Tenshoin and Lady Seikanin (Kazunomiya), who returns to Tokyo. It is so nice to see them get along like mother and daughter. After a rocky start, the two of them really began to build a close relationship. How sad and ironic that Lady Seikanin passed away shortly after she returned to Tokyo, at the age of 32.
And then, during Iesato’s wedding (I liked the child actor they chose for the role – what a distinguished looking kid!) Tenshoin was able to have a reunion with all of her former attendants in the Ooku. Takiyama, Shigeno, and the other servants were all able to attend. That was one of my favorite scenes – it had been so many years, yet they were all able to continue associating like nothing had changed. I was glad they were able to take one last picture together.
I think one of the saddest elements of the conclusion was the eventual rift and destruction of Saigo and Okubo’s friendship. Okubo (with his new Western hairstyle and clothes) favored creating a new government based on Western lines, while Saigo wanted to stick to the old ways. During the scene where Saigo met with Tenshoin, he thanked her for convincing him to stop his attack on Edo. Perhaps Saigo knew that if he had destroyed the Tokugawa family, he would have been going against his true feelings of reverence for the old ways. I also found Saigo’s final words to Tenshoin sad yet inspiring – Even now, my only master is Sir Nariakira. Saigo always had such a close and loyal relationship with Nariakira, so its very touching that even fifteen years after his master’s death, Saigo retained that strong respect for his master. Saigo was eventually committed suicide when he lost the the 1877 Seinan War, a rebellion he led against the new government. And in 1879, Okubo himself was assassinated by people discontent with the new regime.
Back in Kagoshima…
Ochika wrote her letter at such a good time. Just when Tenshoin was so upset about all the people close to her dying, she read the letter from Ochika which helped her realize that though these people had passed away, their dreams and realities were being taught to the next generation. Naogoro’s son Yasuchiyo was being raised by Ochika to learn all about the great people of Satsuma – his father, Okubo, Saigo, etc. What a great scene.
And then we have the final scene… Tenshoin passing away, at the age of 49, in November of 1883. I must admit I was crying for the entire last five minutes of the show. I was reading on Wikipedia that the cause of death was believed to be a cerebral hemorrhage. The saddest yet most touching part was at the very end – when the narrator asked, ”And where did her spirit go?” We take a backwards journey – from the Edo Castle Ooku all the way back to Satsuma in the 1840s, when Atsu was still a young girl. That’s where she felt most at home, it seems – her younger and carefree days in Satsuma. Beautiful scene.
I’m really going to miss watching this drama. Looking over the final scene with highlights from the last 50 episodes, I realized just how many memorable scenes and characters we’ve been introduced to. I’m going to miss this drama a lot… I have a feeling I’ll be re-watching the older episodes quite often, LOL! This has turned into one of my favorite dramas of all time.
Episode 1 of Tenchijin airs next Sunday, 2/7!
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2/1/2009, 7:29 am
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Hiroshi66
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The Other Characters
Since we were introduced to so many characters in this drama, there just wasn't enough time in the drama to address all of their stories and futures. I was interested in finding out what happened to them, so I looked over the Japanese Wikipedia site to see if I could find out what roughly happened to many of our characters. It's quite interesting -- especially for Yoshinobu and Iesato!
Ikushima: After helping Tenshoin secure the safety of Edo Castle and the Tokugawa family, Ikushima returned to Kyoto where she passed away in May of 1870.
Okoto: After Naogoro’s death, her son Yasuchiyo left to live with Ochika in Kagoshima (the new name for Satsuma.) In 1873, Okoto passed away in Kyoto. However, she is buried in Kagoshima next to Naogoro and Ochika’s graves.
Takiyama: Takiyama quietly passed away in 1876. I’m presuming she passed away soon after the final reunion with Tenshoin and all of the Edo Castle Ooku attendants.
Shigeno & Karahashi, Atsu’s attendants: I wasn’t able to find any information about them on the Japanese Wikipedia website.
Lady Seikanin (Kazunomiya):
After living in Kyoto for six years, Lady Seikanin returned to Tokyo in 1874. She passed away in May of 1877, at the age of 31. Ironically, she passed away of beriberi, the same illness that her husband Iemochi passed away of eleven years before.
Chessmaster Iwakura: The Chessmaster became a high ranking member of the new government, and traveled to the United States and numerous Western countries in the 1870s to find a new governmental model for Japan. After returning to Japan, he retained his powerful position until his death in 1883 (the same year Tenshoin passed away.)
Ochika: After Naogoro’s death, she returned to Kagoshima with Naogoro’s son, Yasuchiyo. She raised him as the Komatsu family air. Ochika passed away in 1884 in Kagoshima, just one year after Tenshoin’s death. She is buried in Kagoshima next to her husband, Naogoro.
Lady Honjuin: After Tenshoin passed away, Lady Honjuin continued living a quiet and secluded life. She passed away in 1885, at the age of 78.
Utahashi, Honjuin’s sidekick: Not a lot of information is available about her life. I wasn’t able to find her birth or death dates, either.
Shimazu Hisamitsu: Hisamitsu retired from his position as Satsuma clan regent, yet he became a rather high-ranking member of the new nobility. He was even elevated to the new rank of “Prince”. Hisamitsu passed away in 1887, outliving his brother Nariakira by 29 years. He also outlived Naogoro, Saigo, and Okubo.
Atsu’s brother: Not much is known about his later life. In 1892, he passed away in Kagoshima.
Katsu Kaishuu: Though Katsu was affiliated with the Tokugawa regime, he remained a naval advisor to the new government. He passed away in 1899.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu: His rank and prestige were eventually restored, and he became a rather high-ranking member of the new nobility (receiving the rank of prince in 1901.) He was even invited to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo (the former Edo Castle) and was granted a private audience with the Emperor Meiji. He lived a quiet life in retirement. Yoshinobu eventually passed away in 1913, outliving all of his former rivals – even the Emperor Meiji (who died in 1912.)
Komatsu Yasuchiyo, Naogoro’s son: I couldn’t find much out about him, but I think I read that he passed away in 1918.
Tokugawa Iesato: Iesato became a very prominent politician in the early 20th century. He held a very powerful position in the Japanese parliament, and there was even talk of him becoming a prime minister after the end of World War I in 1918. He even presided over the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Japan-American society. Iesato passed away in 1940, on the eve of World War II. He is buried in Kaneiji Temple in Tokyo, where Iesada and Atsu are also buried.
Good for Lady Honjuin... she sure is a pistol! Even in her late 70s, she sure was still just as lively as ever!! 
Last edited by Hiroshi66, 2/1/2009, 7:36 am
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2/1/2009, 7:35 am
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